Summer is here and the living is easy… well only for those of us who can enjoy a walk in the sun or a picnic in the park without unbearably itchy eyes and streaming noses. For a fifth of people in Ireland, summer is a miserable experience due to allergic reactions caused by pollen.
Luckily, Dr Gigi Taguri from Lloyds Online Doctor is on hand to help with your allergies before things get too messy. Gigi has worked as a GP and also in hospitals for over nine years. She will be answering your questions every two weeks -so look out for the hashtag #askadoctor on twitter to get involved.
Why does hay fever only affect a certain amount of people? Is it a nasal issue?
Exactly why summer becomes the season of spluttering and sneezing for some, and not others is still a bit of a mystery. Genetics and different immunity levels play a big part, and those who suffer from eczema and asthma are more likely to experience allergy symptoms.
Hay fever (otherwise known as seasonal allergic rhinitis) is not so much a nasal issue, but an allergic reaction to grass, tree or hay pollen which peaks from May to August each year and can turn a relaxing summer’s day into a runny-nosed nightmare!
Symptoms are due to your immune system reacting badly to this pollen; cells on the lining of the eyes and nose release chemicals and histamine which causes inflammation and irritation. This is what causes sneezing, a blocked nose and streaming eyes.
Are there any tips you can give someone who has hay fever and works every day and has to sneeze and sniffle in public all the time?
There’s nothing worse than crying and coughing your way to work in the summer heat, but don’t worry! There are actually lots of antihistamines and steroids out there to help nip it in the bud (pun intended) before you consider relocating to a colder climate.
Here are my top tips for managing your hay fever this summer:
- Use a preventative treatment two weeks before you think symptoms will start because taking medication on the day is much less effective
- For the milder cases of hay fever, tablets (non-sedative antihistamines) work best when taken daily during the allergy season rather than only on days when you have symptoms.
- You can buy over-the-counter nasal sprays which contain steroids. Steroid sprays reduce inflammation, and also help with streaming eyes. When using a nasal spray, be sure to tip your head forward (not back) look down, and spray towards the front of your nose for maximum effect.
- Line the inside of your nose with Vaseline to trap pollen, keep car windows shut with air conditioning on, and shower after you have been outside to reduce your exposure to pollen.
- Keep an eye on the Met Éireann (met.ie) website for pollen counts to limit your exposure when the pollen count is high.
- If hay fever triggers your asthma then acting before the symptoms flare up (early in the season) will work best before they become more difficult to manage. For tips on dealing with asthma in summer, see our blog by Dr Christina Hennessey.
I think my daughter has a cold, but how do I tell if it’s just allergies?
With younger children, I know it can sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish between being a little run-down, and displaying symptoms of hay fever – but try not to worry unless your daughter appears very distressed. Generally a cold is defined by a cough, fever, sore throat and a few extra tears! If your child is generally happy to be outdoors, and otherwise fine except for watery eyes and sneezing then it’s probably hay fever. If she’s a little more down, and symptoms last between three and 14 days then chances are it’s probably a cold. Remember – with an allergy, it’s rarer to get aches and pains, a fever or sore throat. If you’re still unsure, take her to a GP.
If you have a question for Dr Taguri, our next session on contraceptives is in in two weeks. Email your questions to askadoctor@her.ie and don’t forget to follow @LloydsPharmacy
Lloyds Online Doctor provides women with consultations for repeat prescriptions for the contraceptive pill or patch, treatment for weight loss, stop smoking and cholesterol for only €25. Launched in July 2013, the service has treated over 20,000 Irish patients so far. To find out more about the service visit www.lloydsonlinedoctor.ie
